Question:

While serving in the path of God, some friends, after a period of time, begin to feel disheartened when they do not receive the appreciation they had hoped for. They start to think they have failed to reach people’s hearts, blame themselves, and desire to hand over their responsibilities to others and quietly withdraw. How would you evaluate the state of such individuals?

Answer:

To begin with, I must say that I view the mindset of such individuals with a certain appreciation. Imagine someone engaged in the duty of guidance and spiritual outreach—calling those around them to goodness and reminding them of the responsibilities we all bear for the sake of humanity. Yet, despite sincere efforts, their words fail to resonate. Confronted with this, they begin to reflect inwardly:
“If only I could fully embody my words—if only I spoke them from the depths of my soul—they might have been more effective and persuasive.”

With such thoughts, they reexamine their sincerity and purity of intention. They question themselves through the lens of the verse, “O you who believe! Why do you say what you do not do?”[1], considering whether their words and deeds are truly aligned. They evaluate the example they set, whether they live the truths they profess, whether there is consistency in their witness, and whether their actions are animated by a sincere spiritual vitality. They question whether they have properly read the emotions of their audience, whether they have erred in tone or approach. Ultimately, they attribute their lack of impact to personal flaws and cast themselves into self-reproach, like a tanner relentlessly beating a hide.

This kind of self-confrontation—wrestling with the ego, continuously reviewing one’s faults, and owning one’s shortcomings—is indeed a praiseworthy trait. But such honesty should never result in abandoning one’s duty. A person committed to a path of guidance must certainly identify and work to correct their mistakes. However, they must continue fulfilling their responsibility until it is formally entrusted to capable and trustworthy individuals.

The verse “Why do you say what you do not do?” must also be properly understood. It does not mean, “Since you are not living up to certain ideals, you should stop talking about them and give up your mission.” On the contrary, it urges: “If you are advising others and conveying the truth, then you must also strive to live by what you preach.”

The sound mindset in such cases should be: “If I have not been able to affect those around me, if my words have not touched their hearts, then it is clear that there are deficiencies I must address. How can I identify and overcome them?”

This is the attitude one should adopt—continually reflecting on how to fulfill this sacred duty in the best possible way until it is entrusted to another. One must strive to correct their shortcomings and exert every effort within their means. It should never be forgotten that as long as there is the possibility to make amends, using personal faults as an excuse to withdraw from duty could amount to abandoning one’s post—something that carries spiritual consequences and could lead to deep regret in the Hereafter.

Naturally, no one remains in a particular role for life. This is like a relay race: each person must fulfill their responsibility to the best of their ability until they pass the baton to the next. What matters most is that a person of service cannot simply step away from their entrusted duty based on private reasoning or personal doubts. Such decisions could leave important responsibilities unattended. While those who see themselves as inadequate may indeed be right in their self-assessment—and it may be more appropriate for someone else to take on the role—if everyone were to make such calls independently, the result would be disorder, and many duties would be left unattended.

One must act with full awareness of the trust they carry. They should exhaust every effort within the realm of human means and mobilize all of their capacities. At the same time, they must never lose sight of the fact that the ultimate results belong to God. Touching hearts and igniting the light of guidance in them is within God’s domain. Even the most eloquent and spiritually persuasive person in history—the Prophet Muhammad (peace and be upon him)—was addressed by the Qur’an with the words: “Indeed, you cannot guide whom you love, but God guides whom He wills.”[2]

Therefore, the acts of influencing, convincing, or guiding someone to the right path are not in our hands. As the Qur’an also states: “The Messenger’s responsibility is only to convey [the message].”[3]

Our task is to fulfill this duty in the best possible way, following the principles taught by the Qur’an and the Sunnah. There should be no shortcomings in one’s example or in the way the message is delivered. A person may assess whether they have fulfilled the necessary conditions to the best of their ability. But when it comes to the outcome, they must remember that it is solely God who brings it about.

Our role, as long as we are alive, is to support the services of faith and the Qur’an. The responsibilities that religion places upon us continue for as long as we live. The only discharge from worship and service is through death—and that, too, lies in God’s hands. Nothing justifies a person withdrawing from service or becoming absorbed solely in their own spiritual concerns. Even among the Prophets, there were those who had no followers at all[4], yet they never abandoned their mission nor gave up delivering the message. Because they fulfilled their duty, they attained the immense reward of prophethood.

God does not reward based on results, but according to our intentions and efforts. Of course, if someone attains guidance through us, we will share in the reward of their good deeds as a means of their success—that is another matter. But continuing to serve, without becoming fixated on the results, purely out of obedience to God and seeking His approval, holds immense value in His sight. True servanthood lies in such expansive intention and unwavering effort.

It is also important to remember that in such situations, the ego or Satan may deceive us. Satan may appear in the guise of righteousness, making the act of relinquishing one’s duty or handing over a trust appear as a noble sacrifice. Or our ego may present us as overly principled, suggesting that we should withdraw from a responsibility we feel we are not fulfilling adequately and let someone more capable take over. Yet Satan can strike from angles we least expect—even while seeming to support what is right. For this reason, it is crucial to grasp the subtlety of obedience and remain steadfast in our position.

Finally, those who have proven themselves in service through their knowledge, age, and experience also bear a responsibility. They must take a close interest in those experiencing such inner turmoil and offer every form of support needed to restore their morale and motivation. If necessary, they should speak with them directly and remind them of the importance of their sacred responsibility. Those who have grown weary or lost motivation in a particular role might be reassigned to different responsibilities or areas of service.

In short, those responsible for overseeing the coordination and direction of these efforts must ensure that individuals devoted to service remain actively engaged in their duty until their final breath.

[1] Surah as-Saf, 61:2.

[2] Surah al-Qasas, 28:56.

[3] Surah al-Ma’idah, 5:99.

[4] Bukhari, Tibb, 17; Muslim, Iman, 374.